Two years back, Barcelona made one of the biggest signings in the transfer window by acquiring French superstar Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid in a €120 million move.

Flash-forward to 2021 and the Cules see themselves giving the Frenchman back to the Colchoneros, facing a potential €80 million loss. Many people may have believed that Barca were offloading Griezmann, but it seems like the player was desperately wanting out as well.

As he struggled to fulfill expectations during his two-year tenure at the Camp Nou, Griezmann was linked with a move more than once. But no one expected him to leave on the transfer deadline day in one of the most shocking moves of the summer.

Griezmann reportedly accepts €11m salary reduction to leave Barca and rejoin Atletico

Although the soccer world wanted to see if the striker would finally prove his talent in Barcelona, on the final day of the transfer market the Catalans decided to offload him on loan with an option to buy. That way, Barca reduce their wage bill amid serious problems to comply with La Liga salary cap.

But Barcelona weren’t the only ones who wanted this move to happen. According to The Mirror, Antoine Griezmann was so keen on leaving the Cules and heading back to Atletico Madrid that he accepted a €10 million salary per season, around €11 million less than what he reportedly made at Barca.

His departure from the Spanish capital two years ago didn’t work as expected, and now Griezmann is back where he once shone. Will he find his best form under Diego Simeone again?

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